Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
by daxy
Summary: This Christmas was going to be special


**Summary: This Christmas was going to be special**

Horatio looked at himself in the mirror; usually he'd frown when he saw his aging face. But not anymore. Of course he was getting older but it didn't bother him as much as it used to. Maybe because he now had so many things to look forward to once he retired. He still wasn't ready to leave his job, but two years ago, at the age of 57, he had accepted the promotion to become Chief and thus had taken command over the MDPD. When he left the lab Eric had taken over running it. With Calleigh being a mother to the North children she wanted to work only part-time. Luckily, she had Eric to help out financially as the two had married a year ago.

As his second in command Eric had chosen Ryan Wolfe. Both Eric and Ryan had grown a lot since the first time they had stepped into the lab to work for Horatio. Ryan had found a girlfriend a few years ago and was now the proud father of a seven-month old girl named Brenna.

As for Natalia and Walter; well Walter was still single but so far happy about it. Natalia had a boyfriend, but the relationship was still quite new and she was still a bit nervous about being in a relationship with a man again.

Tom had retired a year ago at the age of 62; he had felt it was time. Horatio planned to retire around the same age. Frank was his age, and had also cut back on some work. He wanted to spend more time with his three daughters and two grandchildren.

As for Horatio? Well, his life had changed for the better when he had found out he had a son. And although deeply worried, he had been so proud when his son join the army. Four years ago Kyle had come home for good. Now Kyle was working on becoming a physical therapist. But two of the best things that had happened in both his son's and Horatio's life was first that Kyle had married a lovely woman, Clarice, and they had made Horatio a very proud grandfather to a baby girl.

His grandchild, being only two weeks old was joining him on Christmas. It was this new life in the family that had made Horatio realize that retirement wasn't so bad after all. Sure, he would miss his job, but the joy of being able to be a full-time grandfather was better.

After splashing some water in his face Horatio made his way to the kitchen and checked on the turkey. Christmas celebration this year was going to be at the Caine household. And apart from his son, daughter-in-law and grandchild coming, there would be more guests as Alexx and her husband joined them and later even Calleigh and Eric, with their children Austin and Patty.

Horatio loved big gatherings around the holidays. He had always missed that as a child and most of his adult life, so now he cherished those days even more. He had lost many friends and loved ones through the years and after his wife Marisol died, he had thought he would never be happy again. More than anything he had wanted a child, and he did eventually find one. Only it pained him that his child had been 16 years old at the time and that Horatio hadn't been able to be there for him from the start.

However, he believed that all he had missed out on when Kyle was growing up he could now make up for by being part of his granddaughter's life.

When the doorbell rang Horatio hurried to open. Clarice greeted him with a big smile and her hands full of food bowls. Horatio opened the door wider to let her in.

"Need any help?" He asked.

"Oh no, I'm fine. I'm used to carrying lots of food." Clarice smiled and made her way into the kitchen.

Clarice came from a big family of seven children, 12 nephews and nieces and the oldest person in the family was her great-grandmother. Clarice was originally from Tallahassee. But her siblings were spread out around the states and so every third year they all gathered in the family home to celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve together. This year it was not time for that though.

While Clarice made herself busy in the kitchen Horatio went out to help his son carry the Christmas gifts into the house. He had told Kyle not to buy anything to him, but as he sneaked a peek on the labels he could see that at least three gifts were for him.

"Dad, I can carry that you and can carry your granddaughter." Kyle smiled.

Horatio was happy to carry two week old Dakota. While Kyle went inside with the gifts, Horatio reached for the car seat in the backseat of the car and brought her inside. Dakota was slept soundly through it all. She had light brown hair like her mother, but everything else about her was from Kyle, except for the eyes; she had Horatio's eyes.

Horatio could not take his eyes away from his granddaughter even when he got inside his house. He put the car seat down in the living room and picked Dakota up. She squirmed, but didn't wake up.

Horatio heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Clarice smiling at him.

"Can I help with anything?" He asked.

"Yes, look after Dakota while Kyle and I fix the rest."

Horatio grinned; he was happy with that. So while the two younger people slaved away in the kitchen, Horatio had the best job in the world. Just holding Dakota. When she woke up, she looked into his eyes and cooed. Her parents had quickly noticed how Dakota always seemed to calm down when she was held by her grandfather. Horatio could soothe her no matter what.

"Hi there, baby girl." Horatio smiled, "It's good to see you again."

Two hours later, just as all the food was done, the guests arrived. Alexx and her husband Anthony were the first. Calleigh and Eric had decided to come a bit earlier than originally planned so they arrived just thirty minutes after Alexx and Anthony.

And while everyone ate they updated each other on their lives and families. They hardly saw each other as much as they would have liked so there were always something new to tell.

"Well, babies seem to be coming from everywhere." Anthony said, "Just three days ago our daughter Jamie told us she was expecting her first child with her fiancé."

Everyone cheered at that as they knew both Anthony and Alexx were dying to become grandparents. And with both their kids flown out of the house it was time for grandkids and the sound of little footsteps in their home again.

"The best thing about grandkids is that you don't have to change the diapers or anything else that you don't like." Alexx chuckled.

"Yeah, as soon as the baby cries we can just hand it over to the parents." Horatio agreed.

"Of course, you gladly hold Dakota while she cries." Kyle said to his father.

"I'm not surprised." Alexx smiled, "Horatio always loved to do that when Jamie and Bryan were kids too. Jamie was born a year after Horatio moved here."

Horatio was in fact the godfather to Alexx's daughter Jamie and Frank's youngest daughter Stephanie as they had been born after he had moved to Miami. He had always been the favorite uncle among all the kids too.

"Speaking of children, Austin and Patty are getting so big." Alexx smiled.

Austin was already a teenager and Patty only a couple of years younger than him. They smiled proudly as they both wished to be older and not "little kids" anymore.

"Yes, soon you'll have a teenager in the house." Horatio smirked at Calleigh and Eric.

Knowing what a job a teenager could be Alexx and Anthony chuckled. Sweet as sugar one moment and monsters the next one. After dinner Dakota made herself noticed and demanded food. While Clarice went to the guest room to take care of that, the rest of the big family watched the last half of a Christmas movie on TV.

Just in time for the gift exchange Clarice and Dakota joined the others in the living room. Clarice asked if Horatio wanted to hold Dakota and he absolutely wanted to. As he sat there holding his little baby girl (as he called her) he silently thanked God for finally giving him joy and happiness; to have the family he had always wanted.

"You getting more ready to retire now?" Alexx asked.

She had always thought Horatio looked adorable when he held a baby. And he was a natural at it too, never hesitating to handle a baby; newborn or older.

"Yeah, but I think I should stay at least two more years on the job." Horatio said.

"Same here." Alexx said, "I may be a few years younger than you, but working in a hospital takes its toll."

"It's worth it though." Horatio smiled.

As Austin and Patty opened their gifts they shrieked as they received one thing after the other that they had wished for. They rambled on about how amazing their gifts were and showed the older generation how the new technological things worked.

Horatio took a moment to just observe his family (although not everyone was gathered). They had come a long way since they had first met. Through good and bad. He was so very grateful for getting to know them.

Dakota squirmed in his arms and grabbed his finger. Horatio smiled and kissed her brow.

This was a perfect Christmas.

_**Please review!**_


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